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Pricci's Free Daily Feature Race Analysis

Five days per week and every racing day during the Saratoga meet, John Pricci will provide horse racing selections of that day's feature race. When the racing schedule dictates otherwise, there will be analysis from other major thoroughbred Tracks. Check back here 5 days a week for free horse racing selections.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Value the Buy-Word in Big A Feature

A race with no name is today’s nominal feature. It’s a 7-furlong sprint for four-year-olds and up under restricted preliminary allowances. The main contenders are Market Psychology (2-1), King Rush (9-2) and Bayou Timber (3-1).

Market Psychology is a deserving early line choice. His three victories lead all entrants, 7 furlongs might be his best go, and Eibar Coa and Rick Violette mesh very nicely. We’ll try to beat the early favorite, believing that Jed Greeley’s speed might soften him up early and that the pole position doesn’t favor his style here.

King Rush obviously has issues with only 12 lifetime starts at age five. But her certainly makes the best of them with three wins and two seconds, he showed improved early lick in last, and fit’s the race shape nicely from his middle position, hopefully stalking the speed comfortably from close range. Low profile connections might provide unexpected value.

Bayou Timber owns a victory at the distance, Kiaran McLaughlin is batting 33 percent at this meet and is a profitable 24 percent when turning routers back into sprints. Rajiv Maragh with a riding triple yesterday, including the featured Bed o’ Roses, is in a zone at the moment.

But we’re taking King Rush to win at 4-1 or greater and keying him first and second in exactas with his main rivals here.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

New Day Dawns Golden

Today’s feature, the Grade 2 Bed o’ Roses Handicap at 7 furlongs boasts some very speedy, classy and consistent fillies. Some enter the fray in career form.

From the end of her 3-year-old season, Lady Marlboro (7-2) has really gotten her game together. After winning an overnight stakes at today’s distance at Belmont, she suffered a nose loss at a mile in the G2 Top Flight. She made her 4-year-old debut a winning one, finishing in a dead heat for first in the G3 Sabin. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens is 23 percent effective with returnees from long layups and Javier Castellano is 2-for-3 on the filly, including the head-bon loss in the Top flight.

Sutra (9-2) ships up extremely sharp from Oaklawn Park. She comes from an extremely fast 6-furlong event and her only defeat over today’s distance came in the G2 Beaumont on Polytrack. Classy enough to win the G1 Frizette as a juvenile under today’s rider, Mike Luzzi, her last was a career best effort. If she doesn’t react adversely to that Oaklawn sprint, she will take catching.

Golden Dawn (8-5) not only looks like the right favorite but the most probable winner as well. Freshened following her 7-furlong, key race score in the G2 Barbara Fritchie, she returns to a surface over which she’s 1-for-1. If there’s a hotter combination on the grounds than Mike Hushion and Channing Hill, I’m not sure who they are. Three-for-four since switching to the Hushion barn, she developed beautifully over the past six months.

Taking Golden Dawn to win at 6-5 or greater and keying her first and second in exactas and trifectas with her main rivals here.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Striking Tomisue To Win Battle of Florida Shippers

Friday’s feature is a secondary allowances/optional claiming event for older fillies going a flat mile. This race should be decided between the shippers: So Glitzy (3-1) and Striking Tomisue (5-2).

So Glitzy hails from the Allen Jerkens shed, traditionally a very strong factor with his Florida returnees to the New York circuit each spring. The four-year-old ships up sharp and is a mile specialist. She’s won half of her four starts at this trip with one placing. In five other career starts at different distances, she could only manage a single third-place finish. Young Channing Hill is riding in excellent form and he should compliment her mid-move/late run style.

Striking Tomisue, however, is a tad faster, a lot fresher and fit’s the race shape very well as the controlling speed. The fact that she leaves from the outside post in the short field is to her benefit and she’s been working extremely well for her return at her Florida training base at Palm Meadows. The position-conscious Cornelio Velasquez should suit the Nick Zito trainee perfectly.

Taking Striking Tomisue to win at 8-5 or greater and an exacta box with So Glitzy.